NEW YORK (AP) -- J.T. Miller scored his first two NHL goals andthen cautioned everyone not to get used to it.

The teenage rookie found the net twice in his second career gameto lift the New York Rangers to a 4-1 victory over the New YorkIslanders on Thursday night.

Miller, however, said setting up others is really more of hisgame. As long as pucks go in, the goal-starved Rangers willgladly take offense from anyone.

"I am more of a playmaker," said Miller, who won't turn 20 untilMarch. "I've always had more assists than goals."

Just not yet in the NHL.

Miller was kept off the scoresheet in his debut on Tuesday - a3-1 loss at New Jersey - and didn't add any assists on Thursdayen route to claiming the "Broadway Hat" as the game's MVP.

But as is his nature, Miller was already preparing to dish it toanother worthy teammate.

"It's a nice hat," he said. "I'm looking forward to getting awin next time so I can pass it off."

Miller gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead just 1:29 in and then pushedtheir advantage to 3-1 in the second period with a rarepower-play goal for the club. Marian Gaborik also scored,defenseman Marc Staal had two assists, and Ryan McDonagh addedan empty-net goal to give the Rangers their second win in threegames.

"We wanted to have a good start," Staal said. "We've beengetting scored on first a lot. It's tough playing catch-up inthis league. We knew that first goal was important. We ended upgetting two. That was huge for us and we were able to close itup."

The Rangers have an eight-game winning streak over the Islandersat Madison Square Garden, outscoring them 35-11.

New York entered with 20 goals, tied for fewest in the NHL, butscored more than two for just the second time in five games. TheRangers connected for only the fourth time this season in 37power-play opportunities - the worst percentage in the league.

"We have to find a way to get points," coach John Tortorellasaid of his 5-5 Rangers. "I still think there's a lot ofsloppiness with our game. There are a lot of things that need tocontinue to improve."

The Islanders' struggles on the power play continued as theywent 0 for 5. They have failed in 19 straight chances over threegames after going 9 for 24 to begin the season.

Henrik Lundqvist made 27 saves as he started for the ninth timein the Rangers' 10 games and earned his first win in threeoutings.

He, too, was pleased by the instant offense provided by theyoung Miller.

"It's great. We need everybody to do good stuff for us,"Lundqvist said. "He plays so mature out there, making gooddecisions with the puck. It's important. It definitely bringssome energy to the group. Guys come in and do well right away."

The Rangers also welcomed back captain Ryan Callahan, who hadmissed three games because of a shoulder injury sustained ninedays earlier.

Callahan helped on the Rangers' penalty-killing and added adifferent kind of assist - fishing out the first puck from theIslanders' net to present to his young linemate.

"He just kind of does it all for the line of me and (ChrisKreider) - just two young guys," Miller said. "It feels reallynice to have a guy like that."

John Tavares scored his fifth goal of the season in the secondperiod to cut the Islanders' deficit to 2-1, but they droppedtheir third straight after a 4-2-1 start. Evgeni Nabokov stopped21 shots just hours after the Islanders acquired veteran goalieTim Thomas from the Boston Bruins.

The 38-year-old Thomas has no intention of playing this season -the last year of his contract - and has been under suspension bythe Bruins for failing to report to the club.

Miller started the scoring early with a snap shot from the lowerleft circle that beat Nabokov. Gaborik made it 2-0 with 5:56left in the first period when he was left alone in front for aperfectly placed drive that produced his sixth goal of theseason.

"We have to make the opposition's defense work harder," Tavaressaid. "We just weren't good enough. That is unacceptable. Oureffort and consistency has to be there for the full 60 minutes.We have good periods and good momentum but we're not carrying itthrough."

Tavares brought the Islanders within a goal 11:13 into thesecond period with a rising wrist shot from the right circlethat eluded Lundqvist's glove, but Miller struck again with 1:49left in the period when he got by the defense and came right inon Nabokov.

"We can't be satisfied with playing close," Nabokov said. "Wehave to win. We didn't play bad. We have to get better at everysingle detail on the ice."

NOTES: Rangers D Dan Girardi missed his second straight gamebecause of an undisclosed injury. ... The Islanders will send aconditional second-round draft pick to the Bruins either nextyear or in 2015, depending on if Thomas plays for New York. ...The Rangers benched forward Brian Boyle to make room in thelineup for Callahan. Tortorella was critical before the game ofBoyle, who has one assist, a minus-3 rating and 11 penaltyminutes this season. ... The Rangers went 1-2 without Callahan.... D Lubomir Visnovsky passed a physical and was activated fromthe suspended list by the Islanders after he didn't report tothe club to start the season. He wasn't in the lineup and mightplay Saturday vs. Buffalo. ... The Rangers were caught with toomany men on the ice for the fifth time this season.

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